Chapter Ten: Apprentices and Mentors

Sory for the wait people! Disclaimer: I dont own warriors, though parts of this chapter are taken out of Into the Wild.

Tigerclaw had had trouble living with himslef these last few days. He coudnt believe what Bloodthirst has done, what he had done. He realized now that he would probably never go to StarClan.

"But have you every really wanted to go to StarClan?" said a small voice in his head.

That seemed to be a question he couldnt answer.

"Tigerclaw."

He turned. Lionheart was trotting towards him. Tigerclaw meowed a greeting.

"Its a shame, Redtail dying." Lionheart said.

"Yeah." Tigerclaw said. I killed him. Lionheart looked up.

"Bluestar wants us to help train Firepaw tomorrow, with Graypaw. Ravenpaw has to rest his injury for another day or so." he said.

At the mention of Ravenpaw, Tigerclaw perked up. He realized that Ravenpaw was the only cat who knew that he had killed Redtail. Tigerclaw could not let Ravenpaw reveil this.

"When?" Tigerclaw asked, trying to sound calm.

"Tomorrow." Lionheart said simply. "Got to go, arrange patrols."

Tigerclaw nodded and Lionheart retreated. He glanced around nervously.

Ravenpaw knows what happened.

As if following orders, Tigerclaw crept slowly into the apprentice den. Ravenpaw was curled up.

"Ravenpaw." Tigerclaw said, sounding cheery only because Sandpaw and Dustpaw were around. "Come." Ravenpaw's eyes widened and he cautiously followed Tigerclaw out to the training hollow.

Tigerclaw glanced aroun to make sure that no one was watching. He then turned his sharp amber gaze upon Ravenpaw.

"Listen apprentice," he spat. "If you tell anyone what you saw, I will make sure that it is the very last thing you do."

"yesss Tigerrclaw." Ravenpaw studdered.

"Understand? I will kill you, if you tell so much as one meesly apprentice what happened." Tigerclaw growled.

"Yes Tigerclaw." Ravenpaw cringed.

"If you tell one soul, will make sure that you die without a warrior name." Tigerclaw spat, more fiecely then ever.

"You cant control me." Ravenpaw said suddently.

"What did you say?" said Tigerclaw angerly.

"Nothing!" Ravenpaw squeaked quickly.

Tigerclaw's face broke into an evil grin. "I thought so."

The next morning, Tigerclaw woke up early to train the apprentices. Lionheart was already leading pacing around the gorse tunnel. Graypaw, and Firepaw were dashing out of the apprentice den. Ravenpaw's eyes widened as he spotted Tigerclaw. Their conversation from last night must still have been fresh in his eyes.

Tigerclaw joined Lionheart and sat contently in the sandy training hollow. They were joined, in minutes, by Firepaw and Graypaw.

"In the future, I expect you both to be punctual." Tigerclaw growled.

"Dont we so severe Tigerclaw; it was a busy night last night. I suspect they were tired." meowed Lionheart gently.

Dont be so severe Tigerclaw. Who does he think he is? Tigerclaw thought grudingly.

"You have not yet been assigned a mentor, Firepaw, so for now, Tigerclaw and I will sare your training." Lionheart continued. Firepaw eyes widened.

I'm a mentor to an apprentice's kit and a kittypet. Tigerclaw thought, rolling his eyes. Throw in a rogue and I'll hit the tryphecta.

"Come." he meowed impatiently. "Today we are going to show you the edges of our territory, so that you know where you will be hunting and what boundaries you need to protect. Graypaw, it won't do you any harm to remind yourself of your Clans outer limits."

Tigerclaw then bounded away, hoping that the others could take a hint and follow him.

o0o0o0o0o

Longtail stretched and pulled himself out of the warriors den. He saw a group of elders returing to camp. He shivered as he realized that they had just buried Redtail.

"Longtail."

He turned. Whitestorm was summoning him over from the apprentice den, Sandpaw beside him. Longtail bristled with slight embarressment as he remembered the battle that accured last night. He trotted over to the senior warrior and apprentice.

"Would you help me asses Sandpaw and Dustpaw? Dustpaw's mentor is gone now.." the white tom railed off, lost in sorrow. He then blinked and brightened. "You'll be a mentor soon enough, it'll be good practice for when the time comes."

"I'd love to." Longtail said instantly. Any opprutunity to practice mentor skills was an opprutinity to take advantage of.

Whitestorm smiled. Dustpaw came out of the apprentice den. He looked solemn. Redtail had been his mentor. Whitestorm flicked his tail, and the two warriors lead the apprentices to the training hollow.

"It is time for your hutning assessment." Whitestorm began. "Sandpaw, you shall gone through Tallpines, but step one paw in Twoleg place and I will keep you an apprentice till leaf bare." he said sternly, a slight smile twitching his whiskers.

"I won't go to Twoleg place." Sandpaw promised. "I cant say the same for Firepaw though." she muttered. Longtail agreed with her.

Whitestorm contined as if he had not heard her last comment. "Dustpaw, you will go to Sunningrocks, but stay clear of Snakerocks. An adder could still kill a cat you age."

"Maybe he should go to the Owl Tree." Longtail blurted out. "I mean, RiverClan might still be hunting on Sunningrocks."

Whitestorm paused to consider his suggestion. "Good thinking Longtail. You can follow Dustpaw." he turned to the apprentices. "Why are you still here?" he asked.

Sandpaw and Dustpaw instantly shot off in different directions. Whitestorm purred in amusement. Longtail was amazed at how well he made young cats understand him.

"How do yoo get them to listen to you?" Longtail asked.

"It takes experience." Whitestorm said. "You just have to be stern, but understanding at the same time."

Longtail paniced. "I dont quite follow..."

Whitestorm smiled. "No one can teach you how to be a mentor." he said. "You see, not only will your apprentice learn from you, but you will learn from him."

Longtail nodded. "I'll go shadow Dustpaw now." he said with a sigh. Whitestorm nodded to him and he left, headed towards Tallpines.

This chapter was supposed to be longer. sorry for the long wait. ill try to make it up to you though. please review, and tell me what you think!

Mistystream Sootfur's Loyalty